202512/26
In response to the goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, the Forestry and Nature Conservation Agency (FANCA) is actively promoting the use of domestically produced timber. The Taipei City Government’s Department of Education also recognizes this policy to be beneficial for deepening sustainable circular education and encourages the schools under its jurisdiction to make relevant purchases. Taipei Municipal Chien Kuo High School announced today (12/26) that 1,110 sets of school desks and chairs produced from domestic timber will now be in use. This batch of desks and chairs utilized 67.83 cubic meters of domestically produced Japanese cedar (
Cryptomeria japonica), sequestering 26 tons of carbon dioxide. Chien Kuo High School’s concrete actions have introduced a sustainable new option for low-carbon campuses, setting a highly significant precedent.
Director General Lin Hwa-Ching of the FANCA pointed out that most school desks and chairs are made of imported wood or even plastic, resulting in a high carbon footprint and even high carbon emissions. The domestic timber desks and chairs promoted by the FANCA are sourced from national plantations that have obtained the FSC international forest certification. Each desk and chair has a Taiwan Forest Product Production Traceability QR code. Scanning the QR code shows details about the origin of the wood and the processing history. In addition to practicing the spirit of food and agriculture education from farm to classroom, the furniture also delivers multiple environmental benefits such as eco-friendly production, low carbon footprint, carbon storage, and carbon substitution.
Principal Chuang Chih-Chun of Chien Kuo High School said that the wooden desks and chairs offer a warm texture and a natural wood aroma, which add comfort to the learning space and meet ergonomic requirements. Pupils reported feeling more relaxed and having a more stable posture after initial use. The school pointed out that the low-carbon and circular concepts embodied by domestically produced timber are perfectly aligned with the school’s sustainable environmental education initiatives. In the future, the school hopes to use this to guide teachers and students to understand the connection between forest management and timber utilization.
The FANCA stated that Chien Kuo High School actively responded to the policy of promoting domestic timber by using domestically produced timber in its teaching spaces, which helps the young learners to understand the “locally produced and locally consumed” concept. This reduces the energy consumption and carbon emissions previously associated with long-distance transportation of imported timber. Approximately 120,000 sets of school desks and chairs are replaced annually in Taiwan. This year (2025), 24 schools in 11 counties and cities have purchased a total of 10,400 sets of desks and chairs made from domestic timber, allowing pupils to further understand their homeland through classroom furniture while achieving carbon sequestration equivalent to 240,000 tons of CO₂.
This launch event also incorporated the FANCA’s “Timber Education” lecture series. It covered topics such as forest management, timber characteristics, and recycling, allowing pupils to understand the role of domestically produced timber in sustainable development. The FANCA expressed its gratitude to Chien Kuo High School for adopting domestic wood school desks and chairs. By integrating their use into the educational environment, the school is elevating public awareness of the domestic timber industry. The FANCA will continue to encourage schools at all levels to use school desks and chairs produced from domestic timber, jointly creating a low-carbon and sustainable learning environment.